Holy Crap....I haven't done this in a long time

I almost forgot how to do it....I haven't been here since July and so much has happened....

LETS SEE, if I can update on us all....

Dalles...Is now in Iraq...He was home for two weeks the end of November and the beginning of December....I miss that Kid so much...I think both him and I are growing up together with him over there. Hell...Dalles and I have always been growing up together...With him being my first child, he was my experiment. I learned how to discipline with him, I learned how to praise with him, I learned the challenge of teenagers with him, and NOW....

I am learning what it truly means to "Let Go and Let God" His choice in a career has been a true challenge to me, his choice in girls has made me crazy, and HIM being in Iraq has turned my hair grey.....I don't think President Bush, quite gets the fact that "He has sent precious cargo to Iraq, and he better be damn careful with them. He has my son there, and I would do almost anything to guarantee his safety" Sometimes I feel as if President Bush, congress, and our current candidates see Iraq as simply something that seperates the Rublicans from the democrats...You know similar to our economy, abortion, and healthcare needs...Those with the power just don't seem to understand that it is truly our CHILDREN over there.

Dalles has handled everything actually pretty well. He is a different man (I say man, because that is truly what he is) then the boy I sent over there. I have found myself crying many nights into my pillow, as I think of the unfairness of him being over in Iraq. I run into other classmates of his, and some of them are now turning 21. I think, he is never going to get to be a normal dumb young 20 year old....He has experienced more in the last year then many men will expereince in a life time. I must admit that I wear that proud on my chest when I think of him. How can a mom, not be proud of a young man, that is willing to put his life on the line for the freedom, and safety of others....I have done a good job, he is a good man, with good morals, and a strong desire to serve his Country.

Anyway....If you would like to reach Dalles, feel free to write him at the address below. He has successfully gotten a promotion from Private 1st Class to Specialist...We are all so proud of him...

Spc Jorgenson, Dalles
817th ENG SAPPERS
APO AE 09391

Deven....

My Deven is now a Freshman in High School, and unlike Dalles, he is completely satisfied being just that a Freshman. He is not already talking about being a Senior, and he isn't chasing all the girls. I do think he is beginning to notice them a little bit though. He seems to enjoy Band, and anything that has to do with Computers. Believe it or not...he is already interested in taking his ACT test, and studying to prepare for that test. He talks about attending ITT in Minneapolis and majoring in Computer engineering and Computer Game and Video development...Anyway, his ideal job would be working for Nintendo, Sony, or whoever to develop games. He has an amazing creative mind, and pays attention to detail (unless you have an hour, do not ask him about any book, movie, or event that he has attended. He will tell you about it in a very detailed and elablorate monologue) he would do well with this, if he chooses to go that direction. The thing is, there is a lot of time between now and his senior year in high school, much less going to college, completeing it, and getting a job...SO we will just have to wait and see what life brings....

I would have never believed that two children of the same family, raised the same way, could be so different from one another....Dalles and Deven are miles apart in interests....Dalles loves sports...Deven would just as soon, be sick then go to most sporting events, and to participate that would be worst yet. Deven pays attention to detail, and Dalles is more like his mom...Get the job done quick, and get it overwith, especially if it is something you don't like....Deven Loves Media arts...writing, drama, creativity especially with the software of a computer or a video game...Dalles would rather be outside, or hanging out with friends...Deven...Officially turned 15 on February 1st...He was satisified with having a few kids over here, and his Grandparents over for supper....WE had a BLAST...The kids all made there own strombolli, except I rolled the dough...They had about 3 different game systems hooked up, a couple of movies, and two computers going....I didn't hear anything from them the rest of the night. However, they did claim they were up until after 3:00 AM...I was asleep by 11:00 pm....GOOD KIDS THEY WERE.

Krystyl...

She is an amazing little girl....complete with some of the amazing traits of both her mother and her father...Which means she has gotten a double dose of being stubborn. Though she has handled many situations like her dad, just going with the flow. If we are talking fashion, friends or any of her true interests (my little ponies, baking, or preparing supper) the double dose of stubborness, and being the only girls rears its ugly head. I tell you what, she is convinced she knows everything. I have no idea how she got so darn smart at age 4.

When I had her in to see her physician for her 4 year well child, I asked her doctor about her turning her feet in. The doctor thought it was her knees that she was turning in and sent us to the podiatrist. The podiatrist was convinced it was at her ankles and we were referred to a pediatric orthopedist. She has two small bones in her ankles that either never developed or the tendons and ligaments to them are so weak that she turns her feet inward (like her mom). This is correctable, with the exercises that the pediatric physical therapist taught us, as well as leg braces. Braces have sure come a long way over the years. Hers are made of a soft plastic, and have flower blossoms and butterflies on them in pinks and purples.....Do you want to know why she chose these???? She chose them because most everything she wears is pink or purple and they should MATCH. Along with them now being very pretty, plastic, and soft on the inside, I am sure they have gone up....BY The time we are done with the braces, we will have about 50,000 invested in her feet....Thank God for health insurance.

She is also in preschool, and has also perfected knowing the days of the week. She becomes confused when I switch on her and start talking about the months in a year. She knows all of her ABC's, is starting to work on writing them and her favorite letteris K. She often asks people Do you have a K in your name? I do. She is counting to 20, and starting to get the understanding of how the numbers repeat with a new number at the beginning. This is just starting to come. Her and I are working on the sounds of the different letters. I am hoping to have her reading some simple books before she starts Kindergarten. We still have all this year, and next year before we have to worry about Kindergarten. She will miss the cut off for next year by 24 days.

Keytyn...

Has made some amazing strides in the last couple of months with his speech. We finally found something that worked to prevent fluid from building up in his ears, and prevent ear infections and sinus infections...God is Good, and my prayers for this little boy were answered, and the solution was so easy...He is now taking a pulmicort nebulizer treatment twice a day. Once in the morning and once before bed. The pulmicort provides enough of a steroid to inhibit the inflamatory response of his immune system. Therefore, he doesn't become inflamed in his ears, and the fluid is able to drain. This was not discovered until he had one final surgery last summer....He is doing well....He is now a talker. He does talk in two and three word sentences, and his speech instructor figures he has a vocabulary of approximately 50 - 100 words. When his development was tested again...He tested out between 18 - 24 month mark...He made a gain of over 6 months in less then 3 months....We are all very excited about this, Momma is very proud...Maybe proud is not the right word....Excited because I no longer have to guess about what he is trying to tell me...He now says: Drink please., NO NO NO, I said No, Call Grandma (or whoever he wants to talk to)..We also changed babysitters again...The new sitter is a peach working on his speech with him....WE are very excited....WE will begin to transition him from the early intervention (birth to three program) to the public school program in the next couple of months....I just pray we don't loose our speech teacher, as she has been with Keytyn since the beginning.

Loren and I...

We are collecting all the information to prepare our taxes, and are expecting a decent tax return. I have taken to cooking and baking at home. I am trying to give my children and husband a new expereince everyday. I discovered http://www.allrecipes.com/ and with all the exciting recipes there, we have tried many new dishes. This week, I plan to try the recipe for chicken taco soup....My neighbor tried it and thought it was wonderful...So I hope I get the same response from my crew. I finished my pool season, and life is same old same old...The weather up here is cold...I hope all those in the south (mom and dad), are feeling bad for those of us that are surviving this cold weather.....

I better close this, blog as it is getting quite long...I hope all that read are doing well...I have included some pictures, and hope you all enjoy....